METHUEN — Mayor DJ Beauregard and Police Chief Scott J. McNamara are pleased to share that the Methuen Police Department has been awarded re-accreditation by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).
The department received the distinction during MPAC’s meeting on June 11 in Marlborough. The department was first accredited in 2023 after receiving certification in 2022.
Accreditation is a self-initiated, lengthy, and comprehensive evaluation process. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.
Accreditation is valid for three years and requires agencies to undergo reassessment to maintain their status. Re-accreditation follows a comprehensive on-site assessment conducted by a team of MPAC assessors, who reviewed more than 365 standards.
The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program consists of 257 mandatory standards as well as 125 optional standards. In order to achieve accreditation status, the department was required to meet all applicable mandatory standards as well as 60% of the optional standards.
These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations and technical support activities. They cover areas such as Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid, Collection and Preservation of Evidence, Communications, Working Conditions, Crime Analysis, Community Involvement, Financial Management, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Operations, Patrol Administration, Public Information, Records, Training, Traffic, Drug Enforcement and Victim/Witness Assistance.
“Achieving re-accreditation reflects our department’s ongoing commitment to professional excellence, accountability and best practices in policing,” Chief McNamara said. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our officers and staff.”
MPAC-accredited agencies are required to maintain continuous compliance with established standards and adapt to evolving laws, policies and best practices.
The Methuen Police Department is one of 121 accredited agencies among the 259 police departments in the MPAC accreditation and certification program.
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